Item number: M443

Year: AD 1901-1910

The results after XRF testing

Material: Silver and Enamel

Size: 100.5 x 50.3 x 2.6 mm

Weight: 23.55 g

Provenance: Spink 2025

This is an Eight Trigrams Order, officially established on April 16, AD 1901 (Gwangmu 4), under Imperial Decree No. 10 of the Korean Empire. The Eight Trigrams Order was ranked fifth in the hierarchy of Korean imperial decorations. It consisted of eight classes, with this specific piece belonging to the fourth-class. The fourth-class order was intended to be worn together with a smaller neck ribbon badge.

The obverse side of the Eight Trigrams Order features a radiating floral design, with six evenly spaced petals inlaid with blue enamel bordered in white. At the centre, a silver medallion is adorned with red enamel, displaying the Eight Trigrams symbol, which reflects the profound influence of Taoist philosophy and has become a cultural emblem of the Korean people. Each grade of the order corresponds to a specific trigram, with the fourth class associated with the Zhèn trigram (☳).

The reverse is flat, with the words “Fourth Class of Meritorious Service” (勳功四等) indicating its rank. The buckle ring is a perfect circle, with a notch on the right side of the ring. It is unclear whether this feature represents a casting mark. In principle, the medal should have been manufactured by the Osaka Mint; however, no historical evidence has been found to substantiate this attribution. The riband has a white ground with red stripes along both edges; in the case of the fourth class, the riband additionally bears a folded fabric rosette. Based on the design of the medal and the font used on the reverse, it can be inferred that this medal was likely designed and manufactured by Japan, which was gradually asserting control over the situation on the Korean Peninsula at that time.

In AD 1897, King Gojong of the Joseon Dynasty ended his refuge in the Russian embassy and proclaimed the establishment of the “Korean Empire,” changing the era name to “Gwangmu” and declaring himself emperor. This move aimed to seek an independent path between the two neighbouring powers of Japan and Russia. During the Gwangmu era, the Korean Empire promoted Westernisation reforms; however, it ultimately succumbed to Japanese annexation in AD 1910, becoming a colony.

物件編號: M443

年代: 公元 1901-1910 年

XRF分析結果:

材質: 銀, 琺瑯

尺寸: 100.5 x 50.3 x 2.6 mm

重量: 23.55 g

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2025

這是光武4年(公元1901年) 4月16日，根據大韓帝國〈敕令第10號〉頒布的「八卦勳章」，八卦勳章在大韓帝國的勳章排名為第五等。八卦勳章共有八個等級，這枚勳章屬於第四等的勳章。

勳章正面為輻射的花瓣狀，其中有六道等距的鑲白邊藍色琺瑯。正中央的銀盤部分則以紅色琺瑯彩繪，呈現深受道家文化影響和成為韓民族象徵的「八卦」符號。八卦勳章的每個等級有各自對應的掛象，第四等對應震掛「☳」。

勳章背面光平，正中央則有兩行篆文「勳功四等」標示等級。扣環則為正圓形，環右有一缺口，不知是否為鑄造標記，理論上該勳章應為大阪造幣廠承製，但查無史據。綬帶為白底，兩側邊緣為紅色條帶，四等章的綬帶額外有折疊而成的布花。從勳章形制和背面的字體作推斷，這枚勳章應該是當時逐漸掌控朝鮮半島局勢的日本負責設計和製造。

公元1897年，李氏王朝的君王高宗結束在俄國使館避居後，將國名更改為「大韓帝國」，改年號為「光武」和自立為皇帝，以意圖在日本和俄國兩個強鄰之間尋求自主路線。大韓帝國在光武年間推動韓國的西化改革，然而最終仍不敵在公元1910年遭到日本的併吞成為殖民地。